Weightlifting-Korean 'Female Hercules' Jang calls time on career

January 10, 2013|Reuters

By Narae Kim GOYANG, South Korea, Jan 10 (Reuters) - South Korea's JangMi-ran bid an emotional farewell to weightlifting after adecorated 15-year career when the 'Female Hercules' announcedher retirement at news conference in her hometown on Thursday. The 29-year-old, accompanied by her father, mother andyounger sister, struggled to deliver a tearful speech as shesaid goodbye to a sport that had rewarded her efforts with fourworld titles, as well as Olympic and Asian Games success. "After much consideration for the past three months, I havecome to the most difficult decision any athlete must face," shetold reporters in the city of Goyang, north of Seoul. "Weightlifting turned a 15-year-old girl, who had noconfidence in her appearance and no dreams for the future, into(someone) who ended up being loved by so many. "I am happy that a growing number of people have morepositive opinions of weightlifting because of me." Jang's crowning moment came when she completed a 'grandslam' with the 2010 Asian Games title in Guangzhou in the over75kg class, following up her success at the 2008 BeijingOlympics and a quartet of world championship victories. At her peak in her triumphant Olympic year, Jang set worldrecords in the snatch (140kg), clean and jerk (186kg) and forthe overall weight lifted (326kg). However, age and injuries took their toll in recent yearsand the South Korean struggled to keep pace with emerginglifters such as Tatiana Kashirina of Russia and China's ZhouLulu. Last year, her dreams of earning a third straight Olympicmedal, she also won a bronze at Athens in 2004, were dashed inLondon when she could only finish fourth. The quietly spoken Jang touched the hearts of many of hercompatriots when she knelt and kissed the barbell following herfinal failure, knowing a medal was out of reach. "The London Olympics is the most memorable moment in myentire career since I never realised until then that so manypeople were still rooting for me even though I failed to live upto their expectations." In her post-retirement years, Jang said she would focus onhelping young athletes in weightlifting and other fringe sportsthrough the Jang Mi-ran Foundation, which she set up lastFebruary. She also wants to become involved in the InternationalOlympics Committee and will meet IOC President Jacques Roggewhen he visits Korea at the end of the month. "I think being an IOC member will help many things I want topursue with my foundation," she added.